Chapter 64 - The Unexpected Team

-- Aaris - PoV --

Lilliana opened a Magus portal for her office, 

"Do any of you candidates have any questions?" Lilliana yelled.

The loud "No" echoed in the garden in unison of all candidates"

"Well then, the Trial will begin shortly, Every candidate check the back of your G.S.C card, you can check your gate name there, and please stand in front of your assigned Gate, once you pass the gate your team will be automatically assembled in the region & well then I and lady Tara will be one of the invigilators of the Trials, So all play fairly and all the best!" 

Lilliana stepped inside the portal to her chamber, but Tara sat on the small tomb looking at candidates, she pushed her knees to the ground and strengthened her back, and pointed her thumb to the pillar,

"Remember kids! This is not just a Game! If you don't have what it takes to be a part of this Academy then move your asses before the game even starts! We don't need half-assed convictions nor some kids with childish dreams, once you pass this gate you are playing for yourself first! We need mages who are strong enough to protect the world in dire times and sometimes, such situations require big sacrifices."

Tara's voice cracked a bit and she appeared a little frowned to me, but huffing out a deep breath she ended her pause, 

"So, If you don't have the balls to do that and back off, remember giving up or leaving a war ground isn't something you should forget but it's a chance you give yourself to finish what you started, always keep it in your heart and try to redeem yourself in the next try! If you can't, and get fed up with trying, then it's better to accept the truth and find a better part to play in your life! " 

Tara's enthusiasm surged the crowd and boisterous roars shook the garden.

"Good, you all have my best wishes too then, now move your asses!" She yelled and passed through the portal Lilliana created, 

and the rush began candidates began shuffling and moved to their gate, I checked my card and it gleamed, 

| Second Trial - The Kings Domain |

| Gate - The First Gate of North | 

| Trial will begin in 3 minutes, move to your Gate please |

So, my gate is the first one! I moved in front of the first gate and found Crown prince Niran, standing there too.

Don't tell me, he will be the first person I have to face after the game starts!

'Hey! Niran, you also have the North Gate?' Damn, My voice is trembling.

"Hmmm… yours too? Well isn't this nice, let's hope we don't have to face each other, or else I won't hold back." He smiled and went through the shining gate, I can't even see where he went so I can avoid meeting him!

"Oye! Ruined prince, move your ass! We are also here" a boy behind me yelled at me.

'No need to yell, I am going!' I said my prayers and stepped inside.

As I went forward in the gate light became brighter, I kept moving onward with my eyes closed, and then suddenly a chill breeze soothed my cheeks.

I opened my eyes slowly and found myself in the middle of a dense forest, the ground was a bit moist and had broken branches and dried leaves getting crushed whenever I took a step, tall and wide trees, big roots rinsing from the land, hanging vines were everywhere I saw. The canopy of the forest was so lush and dense that it was like a light was breaking through a cracked ceiling.

Chirping and echoes of different birds, insects, and animals rang in my ears but an unsettling silence filled my chest.

I pulled out my card and checked it, 

--

| Second Trial -› Kings Domain Game |

| Time Elapsed -› 00 Hours 02 minutes |

| Total - Points -› 000 Points |

| Team -› Team First North | 

| Status -› King | 

--

Wait! what? I looked at the card again!

--

| Status -› King | 

--

I am the king of my team?! But where is my team? There is nothing besides trees and plants around me!

But Lady Lilliana said that we'll meet our Team members, so they must be around, I need to look for them.

Well, shall I go all out here? Nobody is watching…

Should I use my Mana? I don't think I need it to climb a tree, so I pulled out my sandals, ran straight on the tree, it was probably 100 meters or so in height, and climbed to the top to get a good view of the island.

I moved my head and, the farthest my sight reached was to the seashore approximately 9 -10 kilometers from me.

I stayed on the top of the tree for a while, observed my shadow on the branch, observed the time, and figured out the directions.

'Hmmm, so the Throne is straight to the south!' 

I ran down from the tree and landed on my feet, 

'Well then! Let's find my team first-'

"What are you doing?" Niran was sitting on the long branch of a tree in front of me.

'Crown-...Crown prince?!' I stumbled on the ground.

You've got to be kidding me! The first person I met in the forest is, Crown Prince?!

"How many times should I tell you to call me Niran, not Crown Prince." He jumped on the ground and stood in front of me.

'I am sorry… So-' 

"Let's skip the chat, and fight!" He raised his fist and prepared a stance. I knew this wasn't going to be this easy, but I can't step back now!

I freed mana inside every part of the body and prepared for the fight.

'Bring it on!' I clenched my fist and took my stance too!

"That's the spirit but-" in a flash, he disappeared from my sight! He's fast! Where is he?!

"I was juuuuust kidding." He was behind me! He grabbed my wrist, twisted it, and pushed me to the ground.

"Show me your card, what's your team?" He placed his knee on my back, 

'North… First North!' I need to hold back, something isn't right.

"As expected.' He released my wrist and gave me a hand, 

" Stand up, I am sorry for earlier I was just being cautious, " 

'What do you mean?' I cleaned up my uniform, 

"We are in the same team, Genius." He showed me his card, therein I saw his team was the same as mine!

Team First North! Thank god!

"My status is a pawn, and you?" He put his card back in his pocket.

'Um- King.' I don't feel proud calling myself the king in front of him.

"Alright, oh I forgot to mention our team is different from others." He crossed his arms, 

'What do you mean?' 

"Out of all 48 teams, ours is the only one with only 4 members." 

'What?'

"I saw in my card, to make the game fair the handicap was made, our team was made up as consisting of two average candidates, me the top-ranked and-" 

'Me the bottom one' so they put the first and last to balance the power level?! I feel insulted for some reason, 'oh yeah! Where are our other team members?'

"With me, come out!" He yelled and a boy and a girl came from behind a tree.

The girl looked timid holding a wand close to her breast and the boy looked somewhat familiar to me.

"Um- my name….my name is Melvi Vinoske! Glad… glad to meet you, Ruined Prince." She seemed nervous and was stuttering a lot maybe because of being in the same team with The Crown Prince, and I don't know if she is trolling me for real or not.

'Melvi? Why are you being rude to Rise?" Niran glared at Melvi and she turned blue, 

"Wha- what? I didn't know I was being rude! Isn't your name Ruined prince?!" She was a crybaby and maybe a bit too pure for this world.

'Of course, it isn't! My name is Rise Kier, and glad to meet you too, and don't bother about it too much, calling me names isn't going to do anything.' I probably should help her to get relaxed for now.

"But, why did Crius tell me your name is Ruined, Prince when I asked him about you?." She looked at the boy, 

What did she say? Crius?!

"I apologize for your majesty, it was just a small joke, to lighten the mood, please forgive and you too Rise please don't mind, 

My name is Crius Tresguy, the eldest from the house of Tresguys' and the only son of Count Husre Tresguy, nice to meet you." He bowed and introduced himself in a proper gesture and smiled gently.

How could I forget his face? The family of Tresguys'? He has grown significantly and may have got a nice face but I know what he is in reality!

Crius! Why is it here?!

'Nice to meet you too, as you already know me it saves us some time.' I clenched my fist and tried to control my spewing anger, the more I looked at his face, the more the nasty memories flooded in my head.

"Well then, that's our team then! Let's fight together and win this." Niran smiled and cracked his fingers.

As expected this shit is going to be very hard for me.